Eighth Year
by potter717
Summary: This is a series of Drabbles about Draco's struggle with coming back to Hogwarts after the war. This is my first time writing in strictly Draco's pov so be nice! HP/DM I do not own these characters.


September

The train is swaying smoothly and Draco is staring out of the window into the darkness. The scenery is wild so he knows they'll be arriving soon. He doesn't want to be here, definitely doesn't want to be back at Hogwarts but he couldn't stay home-the Manor, Draco reminds himself. Not home.

Coming to Hogwarts was just an excuse so his mother wouldn't be sad that he can't stand being there. He looks away from the window and around the empty compartment. He closes his eyes and he sees the dirty looks and he hears the whispers as if they're amplified a hundred times and he opens his eyes again to the merciful silence.

Suddenly the door is sliding open and he looks up and it's fucking Potter and he can't even think of something to say-

"Sorry, I thought it was empty." He says and he looks around and then he looks sorry and Draco hates that even more than the dirty looks.

"Well, it's not." He snaps because he doesn't want Harry fucking Potter feeling sorry for him.

"Do you mind if I sit here for a little bit?" Harry asks and Draco throws him a dirty look because he can't talk, he can't even say no because he doesn't want to be alone but it's fucking Potter and then Harry narrows his eyes just a little bit he shuts the door quietly and he leaves.

October

Draco is standing in the entrance hall listening to all the noise in the Great Hall. He wants to go in. He wants to sit at the Slytherin table and eat and drink and laugh-he shakes his head. He knows that he can't. Of course he can't because they will move away from him like always and they will stare at him and whisper things like they do at every other fucking meal. Even his own house mates and his anger spikes because what did he ever do to them?

And then the doors open as a few people leave and he sees the eighth year table and knows there's room there. But he can't sit there either because the people there hate him more than the people who only know his name, the ones who mutter at the table as if they know him. His stomach growls but he turns away from the door. He can come to the kitchens later and-

Noise erupts and someone has opened the door. It's Potter and a comment is on Draco's lips but he stops when he sees what Potter is holding. A fucking plate, with meat and potatoes and cakes and a big glass of pumpkin juice. He holds them out to Draco.

"I prefer eating in the common room, too. Better chairs," he says and shrugs. Draco bites his tongue and takes the plate and the glass and Harry smiles-fucking smiles-at him and turns back to the doors. "We don't bite, by the way."

And Draco wants to follow him in and just sit down and eat like a normal person but he's not normal; he can't even say thank you and then the door is closed again and he's standing alone and he takes his meal to the common room.

November

"Stay away from me!" He shouts and he's pushed hard against the wall. Someone punches him in the stomach and when he is standing back up he's hit again and he falls down. He can't breathe very well and he looks up at the four students surrounding him. He doesn't even know who they are.

"You don't belong here Death Eater!"

"Fuck you!" He spits out and he gets kicked in the side. He tries to stand up but there's too many of them and they are all moving in and then someone calls out and Draco groans and it's not because he is hurt.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" Potter shouts.

"We're taking care of the trash-" the middle one says but he stops talking abruptly because Harry has pulled out his wand.

"I don't want to see this happening again. You spread the word that whoever pulls this shit again has to deal with me as well." He actually sounds very angry and Draco looks down at the floor.

They stare at him for a moment with surprise and then they leave, mumbling angrily and Harry turns and puts his hand out. Draco doesn't take it and he stands up and he knocks himself off and he glares at Harry.

"I was handling that, Potter."

"Yes, I noticed. I'm just here to pick up some tips." Harry says and he grins like he's so fucking proud of his joke and Draco wants to roll his eyes but he doesn't.

"In that case join me every other day, you'll learn a lot." Draco says and he doesn't know why he did, especially to fucking Potter, but it feels good to have told someone-even if that someone is Scarhead.

"Has this happened before? Why haven't you said anything?" Harry asked and Draco almost fell over because he actually sounds concerned.

"Because no one gives a fuck about a Death Eater getting harassed!" Draco says angrily. Why is he explaining himself to Potter?

"Ex," Harry says quietly and Draco looks at him. "Ex Death Eater." And Draco doesn't even know how to start responding to that so he says nothing, shoulders his bag and turns to leave. "You're not alone, Malfoy."

Draco stops in his tracks and he wants to turn around and he wants to yell about just how alone he actually is but he doesn't and without a sound he walks away.

December

Draco is twitching in the seat, looking around the still empty courtroom; the chains are hanging heavily and they're pulling the cuffs so they are digging into his wrists and this is not how he should be spending his holiday. Even the manor is better than this he thinks but he knows that that's a stretch-fuck.

The Wizengamot is filing in and they are staring at him and whispering and judging him already and then the magistrate is shouting his accusations for the whole fucking world to hear and he squirms in his seat; they took his wand, he doesn't even know why he has to be tied up. Nerves are tearing him apart and suddenly the word 'witness' is thrown out and Draco freezes because that's impossible. No one would testify for him, no one would help him, no one would-

"Harry James Potter."

And Draco whips around to see the fucking Boy Who Lived himself walking into the room and everyone is quiet and staring and shocked and if he wasn't chained into his seat he would have fallen out of it. Someone must have asked him to speak because suddenly his voice is filling the room and Draco snaps out of his head to listen.

"He refused to kill Dumbledore when ordered to by Voldemort-" (the whole room flinches and Draco looks down at the floor) "-I saw him lower his wand myself. Also, when the Snatchers brought my friends and I to his father Draco didn't tell them who I was. He saved me." Out of that whole sentence Draco focuses on the fact that Harry used his first name because since when did they get on a first name basis?

"I thought his mother saved you. Isn't that why we lowered her sentence?" The magistrate is angry but Harry remains calm and answers simply.

"As the target of a major war you could see how that opportunity would come up more than once." It's so sarcastic that Draco suspects it was missed entirely and if he hadn't been frozen with nerves he would have laughed.

"Did you know he has the Dark Mark?" The magistrate yells almost desperately and Draco tries to turn his left wrist from view.

"I would have taken it too if it meant I would save my family. Everyone here knows what Voldemort-" (again people gasp and flinch) "-was like."

"His father took it happily!"

"His father is not on trial!" Harry is yelling now too. He is arguing with the magistrate and he's fighting for Draco's freedom. _For me._

The vote is over quickly and Draco is so lost in his thoughts that he forgot to count the hands. Suddenly the gavel is slamming down and he's been cleared of all charges and people are standing and leaving and talking and the chains are on the floor and Potter is nowhere to be found and he stands up and he is free.

January

He's right there, sitting in the back of the library with his books open, taking up the whole table and Draco is just watching from the bookshelf trying to go over there for the last half hour. He wants to say thank you, to ask him why, to ask about his mother's trial but he's never done that before-never just talked to Potter-and old habits are hard to break. His stomach flips with nerves as he steps out and he can't turn back because he's been seen and if he leaves now he'll look even more foolish and he walks over and he sits down at Harry's table.

"What did you have to do with my mother's trial?" He demands. His voice is harsh like it always is when talking to Harry and he waits for him to snap back like always but Harry puts his quill down and sighs as if he knew this was coming.

"When Voldemort-" (Draco flinches and his cheeks flush at his weakness) "-tried to kill me and it didn't work your mother lied and said that it did." He says and he doesn't sound angry or proud or anything but normal. Draco never knew that and his anger redirects to his mother who judges his weakness alongside his father, all the while hiding a weakness of her own.

"Why did you testify for me, Potter?" Draco asks and his voice isn't so harsh and he puts his bag down on the ground.

"Because you don't deserve to go to Azkaban for being forced to do his work." Harry says and Draco notices that this time Harry doesn't say You-Know-Who's name.

Draco stares at him and there's a lump in his throat but he knows he has to say it because that's what he came over here for. "Thank you." He finally manages and it's quiet and barley even counts as speaking but Harry is smiling at him again and he is saying 'you're welcome' but Draco can't figure out why he keeps smiling at him. And then, surprising himself he starts to pull out his own books and as they work in silence he thinks that maybe being on a first name basis wouldn't be so strange.

February

Draco leaves the Great Hall alone and heads up the grand staircase. He's been sitting at the eighth year table since the day in the library but he doesn't stay long if he can help it. Harry and Hermione talk to him the most and the others pretend like he's not there. But no one is staring at him and no one is whispering about him and there's conversation and even if he's not part of it he doesn't feel so fucking lonely anymore. Suddenly Harry is next to him and they are walking in silence for a long time before Draco can't take it any longer.

"Where's Granger and Weasley?" He asks. He doesn't use their first names but he doesn't call them other things either. He'd never admit this to anyone but ever since he saw the word carved into Granger's arm he can't say it, his mouth won't make the sounds necessary for it.

"Hogsmeade for Valentine's Day." He says. Draco shoots him a disbelieving look but he keeps quiet. Lately they've been spending a lot of time doing things that Harry wants to get away from-snogging, taking walks alone, and other things he doesn't even want to think about. Draco isn't sure if they really are ignoring him this much or if he's just ignoring them but he doesn't question it and instead changes the subject.

"Aren't you taking your girl, Potter?" Draco asks and Harry looks over at him with another smile and Draco can't remember what they were talking about.

"I don't have one. Ginny is with Dean again." Harry says. Draco nods and they walk some more before Harry laughs quietly. "And if I was going I wouldn't be taking a girl." And he's looking up and Draco catches his gaze and his stomach flips violently and he looks away again and he's sure that he's turning red and he curses his pale skin. "Does that bother you?"

Draco looks up again and Harry looks worried-he's fucking worried-about what Draco's answer is going to be and Draco shakes his head a bit too fast. "No! I-I don't care." He stammers and he's turning red again and fuck this pale skin.

When he looks up again Harry is smiling even wider and he looks as if he knows something that Draco doesn't know and for some reason this makes him even redder. "You should call me Harry." Draco blinks at the request and he doesn't know what to say or even to think and he's starting to feel hot and suddenly he's wishing he had just gone down to the dungeons instead of taking this stupid walk.

March

Draco is standing on the grass with his head turned up to the stars and the wind ruffling his hair. It's still a bit chilly but he can't remember the last time he's been on a broom and he mounts it and kicks off the ground and it's as if he's alive again for the first time in ages. And suddenly there's another person there and he is soaring so comfortably that Draco doesn't even have to guess who it is. They move to the middle of the field at the same time and Draco stares at Harry as he plays with a snitch.

"It sucks that we can't play on the teams." Harry says and he catches the snitch before it gets too far.

"Are you following me?" Draco asks because it's the only thing he can think of to say. It's passed midnight and it just doesn't make sense.

"I prefer flying at night." Harry answers and he catches the snitch again and he grins at Draco and Draco's stomach flips as if he's falling out of the sky. "Want to play?" Harry is asking and Draco nods because he doesn't trust his voice and he flies a bit farther away and Harry releases the snitch and Draco is waiting and waiting and his fingers are tapping the handle because he wants to fucking fly- "Go!" Harry shouts and they do go.

They are circling and weaving and turning and going higher and higher and Harry wants to race even though they are supposed to be looking for the snitch and half way across the pitch, in the middle of the race Draco sees it-he fucking sees it-and he's diving and falling and speeding and he can hear Harry who is right fucking there and then Harry is passing him and his fingers close around it and he pulls up sharply and Draco takes a wide turn to come back up.

"You cheated!" Draco accuses him but he laughs-actually fucking laughs-and shakes his head. He looks back at Harry who is just watching him and Draco stops laughing suddenly because it sounds too loud and awkward and not right from his mouth and Harry is smiling that same fucking smile he always does.

"I like hearing you laugh." He says and Draco wants to make a joke but his throat has closed up. "I was worried about you before but you seem to be getting better." Draco stares back at Harry and he can't think-not one damn coherent thought-so he doesn't say anything and he just stares.

April

The Easter holiday has left the school nearly empty. As much as Draco hated staying at the Manor before he definitely doesn't want to stay there now that it's empty so he wanders the empty halls and tries to figure out where he'd be going when summer came. But there would be no summer break and then back again. This was it and then he'd have to go into the world and he'd have to live among people who hate him and work with people who hate him and suddenly his left wrist seems to burn annoyingly and he starts walking faster as if he could somehow outrun it but he knows better than to ever think he could leave it behind him.

And once again Potter is next to him and they are walking in silence. Between their midnight seeker games and eating meals together and studying together he'd forgotten that they hadn't actually been friends before. They walked now and Draco felt comfortable, very much at ease considering Pot-Harry, fucking Harry-was next to him. Draco glances over and realizes that he's glad that Po-Harry-had stayed as well. "Why did you stay?" Draco asks suddenly and Harry stops walking and he is looking at Draco very closely.

"I didn't want to go to an empty house. Ron and Hermione are going to visit her parents and the rest of the Weasley's are visiting Charlie." Draco stares back and nods and he wants to start walking again because silence when you're just standing there is weird and he feels weird and he's about to step when Harry speaks again. "Plus I knew that you were staying."

Draco swallows hard and he can hear his heart pounding in his chest and he feels hot again and he's thinking he should stop taking walks with Harry because it really messes with him and his mouth is opening and words are coming out that he can't control- "Why did it matter if I was staying, Potter?" Fuck.

And Harry steps forward and Draco steps back and when Harry comes forward again he doesn't move because he knows Harry won't stop and suddenly his face is just inches away-_I can feel his fucking breath on my face- _"Harry."

"What?" Draco says because why is he saying his own name?

"Call me Harry."

Oh. Yeah. That's why. And Draco nods and he swallows and he can't think again because Harry is right fucking there and he parts his lips and it slips out quieter than a whisper- "Harry," - and there's that fucking smile and then he's grabbing Draco's head and the space between them gets smaller and Harry's lips are touching Draco's and Draco has never felt anything so good and he kisses Harry back, harder and urgent as if nothing else is as important as this right now.

May

They are in the library when it hits Draco quite suddenly. They were just writing their essays for Charms when Draco looks over at Harry, bent over his parchment with a look of deep concentration. Draco smiles and suddenly feels very hot; their nightly seeker games had turned into them just making out and Harry was getting more and more eager to go farther. Draco was the one that always ended it but the way Harry's brows were dropped and his hair fell into his face and just every fucking thing about him suddenly hit Draco hard and he knew how Harry felt in the Quiddich pitch every night.

He leans towards Harry and nearly pressed his lips to Harry's ear. "Let's go find an empty classroom." Draco whispers and he saw the goose bumps his breath had caused and Harry looked up so fast more hair fell in his face and Draco starts laughing because no one had ever packed a backpack so fast before.

They only had to go a few doors down and Harry was on Draco as soon as the door shut, kissing him hard and moving his hands into his shirt. "Are you sure about this?" Harry asks suddenly and Draco nods because he knows they he's never wanted anything more in his whole life. And then Harry is pulling his shirt off and then his pants and Draco is doing the same and they are kissing again as their erections rub together through their boxers. Harry was moaning and pressing his body against Draco and Draco knew he sounded the same.

Suddenly Harry has Draco on the desk and his boxers are down by his ankles and before he could even think about when all of this happened his brain melts as Harry takes his cock into his mouth. "Fuck!" Draco calls out and he looks down to see Harry's head bobbing up and down and he was sucking and licking and Draco had never felt anything like it and then he is pulling away and Draco whimpers as Harry kisses him hard again.

Then Harry pushes him back and climbs on the desk and then on top of Draco and he's lost his boxers too and Draco just stares at his jutting cock.

Harry leans down and kisses him again and then sits back up, spreading his legs and mumbling a spell that makes Draco feel wet and warm and then Harry's finger is inside him, slowly pumping and Draco can't breathe because it was so fucking good and then there is a second finger spreading him open and he is moaning and cursing and then there is a third finger and he thinks he is going to die from the pleasure when suddenly he was empty and looking up and begging for more.

Harry leans over him again and he positions himself and he is entering Draco and what a fucking feeling! "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Draco cries as Harry fills him deep, pausing so Draco could adjust and as he brings his mouth down to Draco's he starts to move and Draco grabs him around the neck and begs him for more and more and fucking more and Harry listens and he moves faster and thrusts deeper and suddenly he hits the spot-the fucking perfect spot-and Draco is shouting Harry's name and he is coming onto their stomachs and shaking and breathing so fucking heavy.

And then Harry pushes deep and he arches his back and cries out and he comes hard and even though Draco can't feel it he could _feel_ Harry filling him and then he is collapsing onto Draco and he was breathing heavy and planting light kisses on Draco's chest. And after a while he rolls off and he sits up and he kisses Draco. "I love you." Harry says and he smiles.  
"I love you too." Draco says and he means it and it is so good to say it and even better to hear it and he kisses Harry badly with smiling lips.

June

Their N.E. are over and it feels like a weight was lifted off of Draco. The results would be arriving sometime in the summer so for now they were forgotten. The train was speeding back to London and he was sitting with Harry and Ron and Hermione and he was simply happy like he had never been before. He remembered the beginning of the year like a dream and what a journey he'd taken to get here. Harry had invited him to stay at his house and Draco had never been so excited to leave Hogwarts. He played chess with Ron and stressed about results with Hermione and these people that he had tormented had forgiven him and even more they liked him. He looked over at Harry who was watching him with that smile and suddenly joining the real world again didn't seem so bad anymore.


End file.
